Parliamentary questions
Michael Matheson
1,154 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
19 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has plans to review the Assynt - Coigach Area Protection Order 2004.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Assynt - CoigachProtection Order was reviewed in 2006 and there are no plans to review it inthe immediate future.</p>
19 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what provisions there are under the Freshwater and Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) Act 1976 to review or repeal orders that have been made.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The provisions inthe Freshwater and Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) Act 1976were repealed and re-enacted in the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries(Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 2003.</p><p>The 2003 act makeprovision for protection orders to be reviewed or revoked in…
19 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many protection orders have been issued under the Freshwater and Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) Act 1976 and in which locations.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: There are currently14 Protection Orders in force in Scotland. They are asfollows:</p><p>West Strathclyde Protection Order 1988 (SI 1988 No. 1516)</p><p>River Earn CatchmentProtection Order 1990 (SI 1990 No. 50)</p><p>River Don CatchmentArea (Part) Protection …
19 Sep 2007 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to help promote greater financial stability for voluntary sector community organisations.
Answer · Jim Mather: We support theprinciples of the Scottish Compact, last reviewed in 2004, which was explicitthat we should apply best practice in funding and in the administration ofgrants. We support the practice of three-year funding for the voluntary sectoracross the publi…
12 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-31165 by George Lyon on 31 January 2007, whether it will pay out the remaining £167,000 that it agreed to make available in ex gratia payments from the Scottish Transport Group pension funds surplus.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Governmentis committed to distributing the remaining funds in relation to the Scottish TransportGroup pension funds surplus. Of the original £126 million surplus, there is approximately£135,000 remaining. This money has been reserved for distribu…
12 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure that contractors are paid in a reasonable time by Scottish Gas for work completed under the central heating programme.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:</p><p>It is the managingagent’s responsibility to ensure its contractors are paid in a reasonable time.However, it is a contractual requirement plac…
12 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with the performance of Scottish Gas in handling the central heating programme.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: While Scottish Gasis currently forecasting that it will install enough systems to ensure that thecontract commitment of 12,000 installations is achieved, the Scottish Governmentrecognises that more can always be done to improve performance, particularly invie…
30 May 2007 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to use the justice system to tackle noise pollution in town centres.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Executive has already putin place a number of initiatives to tackle noise across Scotland. Theseinclude the antisocial behaviour legislation, which covers noise from privatedwellings, dispersal powers, and provisions to allow the police to seize vehiclesd…
21 Feb 2007 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to address the concerns of residents in town centres who suffer from high levels of noise pollution.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The EC Environmental Noise Directiverequires us to provide the European Commission with an estimate of the number ofpeople living in dwellings exposed to different levels of ambient noise from certainconurbations and transport sources, both within and outwith…
20 Feb 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many start-up businesses were assisted by Business Gateway in each local authority area in 2006.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The last available figures forthe year to 31 March 2006 are as follows:</p><p>Start-Up Businesses Assisted– 2005-06</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td nowrap valign=bottom> <p>Local Authority Area</p> </td> <td nowrap …
22 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-30357 by Patricia Ferguson on 21 December 2006, whether Glasgow City Council or Aberdeen City Council has requested additional funding over and above the in principle allocation and, if so, how much has been requested.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: As I noted in my response tothe answer to question S2W-30591 on 15 January 2007,in principle allocations at Stage 1 are only intended to give an indication of financialsupport which may be available for any project. However, actual investment decisionsare onl…
22 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-30357 by Patricia Ferguson on 21 December 2006, how many local authorities have made Stage 2 applications and whether any of those who lodged Stage 2 applications have requested additional funding from the Executive or sportscotland to ensure that th…
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: As I noted in my response toanswer to question S2W-30591 on 15 January 2007, in principle allocations at Stage1 are only intended to give an indication of financial support which may be availablefor any project. However, actual investment decisions are only m…
22 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-30357 by Patricia Ferguson on 21 December 2006, from which budget additional funding for the Aberdeen City Council stadium project has been allocated.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-30591 on 15 January 2007. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…
22 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-30357 by Patricia Ferguson on 21 December 2006, what criteria it will use in determining a request from a local authority for additional funding over and above the in principle allocation.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: As I noted in my response toS2W-30591 on 15 January 2007, in principle allocations at Stage 1 are only intendedto give an indication of financial support which may be available for any project.However, actual investment decisions are only made after receipt o…
22 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-30357 by Patricia Ferguson on 21 December 2006, whether any local authority requested additional funding over and above the in principle allocation.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: As I noted in the answer to questionS2W-30591 on 15 January 2007, in principle allocations at Stage 1 are only intendedto give an indication of financial support which may be available for any project.However, actual investment decisions are only made after r…
21 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why the publication of the review of Sport 21 has been delayed and when it now expects the publication to take place.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The revised sports strategyis currently being finalised, I expect the revised strategy to be published earlythis year.</p>
21 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many contractors have agreements in place with Scottish Gas to supply and install gas central heating under the Executive’s central heating programme.
Answer · Des McNulty: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is asfollows:</p><p>Currently, 27 installers areengaged by Scottish Gas to undertake the installation of gas central heatingsystems under the central heating progr…
14 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding for the implementation of the Changing Lives social work review has been allocated to each local authority, showing the purpose for which each amount has been paid.
Answer · Hugh Henry: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-30356 on 18 December 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/…
14 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated for the implementation of the Changing Lives social work review.
Answer · Hugh Henry: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-30356 on 18 December 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/…
14 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive from what source an additional £2 million has been obtained for the Linksfield sports facility in Aberdeen and whether this provision will have any impact on other projects funded under the National and Regional Sports Facilities Strategy or from sportscotland’s budget.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: In principle allocations at Stage1 are only intended to give an indication of financial support which may be availablefor any project. However, actual investment decisions are only made after receiptof a Stage 2 application and after careful consideration of …
4 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received representations from any of the local authorities that have been allocated funding under the National and Regional Sports Facilities Strategy for additional financial support to ensure that the facility is developed and, if so, which local authorities have requeste…
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: Ten projects were allocated fundingin response to their Stage 1 application. However, this is not a funding decisionbut an in principle allocation. A funding decision is made in response to a LocalAuthority’s Stage 2 application and thus far two projects have…
4 Dec 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the funding earmarked for implementation of Changing Lives: Report of the 21st Century Social Work Review has been allocated; which local authorities have been allocated funding; how much each has been allocated, and for what purpose.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The Executive has earmarked £15million over the first two years of the five year implementation programme for ChangingLives. For 2006-07 we plan to spend around £1.5 million. No specific funding withinthis has been allocated to individual local authorities.</…
29 Nov 2006 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions there were for offences related to noise pollution in town centres in the last year for which figures are available.
Answer · Elish Angiolini: Data held by the Executive doesnot indicate how many prosecutions relate specifically to noise pollution in towncentres. Problems of noise can be dealt with in many ways, including prosecution,action under the Antisocial Behaviour Scotland Act 2004, action un…
3 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its response to sportscotland’s National Audit of Sports Facilities in Scotland.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-26568 on 7 June 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.s…
3 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish a list of all the organisations and projects that received funding from its International Development Fund in 2005-06 and will receive funding in 2006-07, showing the purpose of each project and the level of funding allocated.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: I refer the member to the followinginformation on the Scottish Executive website:</p><p>Projects funded from the firstround of the International Development Fund:</p><p><ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/News-Extras/intdevfundnov2005">http://www.scotland…
3 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why the estimated completion date for the Ravenscraig indoor athletics training facility in North Lanarkshire has moved from August 2007 to September 2008 and whether it expects any further delay to the project.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The start and completiondates for the Ravenscraig indoor athletics training facility were based onprojections from North Lanarkshire Council which have proved to be unrealisticas the project has progressed. A principal factor in the delay of this projectis du…
3 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why the estimated completion date for the Toryglen indoor football facility in Glasgow has moved from September 2007 to July 2008 and whether it expects any further delay to the project.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The start and completiondates for the Toryglen indoor football facility were based on projections fromGlasgow City Council which have proved to be unrealistic as the project hasprogressed. A contributory factor in the delay of this project was due to adelay i…
3 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why the estimated completion date for the Scotstoun municipal stadium in Glasgow has moved from May 2007 to May 2008 and whether it expects any further delay to the project.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The start and completiondates for the Scotstoun municipal stadium project were based on projectionsfrom Glasgow City Council which have proved to be unrealistic as the projecthas progressed. A contributory factor in the delay of this project was due to adelay…
3 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why the estimated completion date for the East End national indoor sports arena in Glasgow has moved from March 2009 to August 2009 and whether it expects any further delay to the project.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The start and completiondates for the East End national indoor sports arena project were based onprojections from Glasgow City Council which have proved to be unrealistic asthe project has progressed. A contributory factor in the delay of this projectwas due …
3 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why the estimated completion date for the Royal Commonwealth Pool in Edinburgh upgrade has moved from January 2009 to January 2011 and whether it expects any further delay to the project.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The start and completiondates for the Royal Commonwealth Pool upgrade were based on projections fromCity of Edinburgh Council which have proved to be unrealistic as the projecthas progressed. A contributory factor in the delay of this project was due to adel…